Taking the leap - starting my online business

Taking the leap - starting my online businessIf anyone warned me what a headache building my own business would be, I probably never would have taken the leap.

In many ways I feel as though I’m falling without a parachute (the closest experience I can relate this to is that weird jumpy sensation you get in the pit of your stomach when you’re on a roller coaster).

But honestly, I’m relieved that nobody scared me away from embarking on this adventure. As daunting as it is, I’m actually enjoying being thrown out of my comfort zone.

I never thought I’d be someone who says that (oh how the times have changed from those days when watching Dirty Dancing in my trackies was as exciting as life got).

I embrace this evolution, even though I’m stumbling along the way...and it seems I’m not the only one.

Did you know that roughly 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs fail when opening their online business? via simonstapleton.com

Believe it or not, I’m comforted by this fact!

Not only does it lift some of the pressure to hit the perfect note the first time, but I’m reminded of the importance of doing my research before launching my website and promoting it through social media.

Wrapping my head around how the internet works from a business perspective is no easy task, but I’ve been doing a lot of reading and I’m keen to work with an SEO services company to develop a powerful marketing strategy (but first, I want to create an amazing website).

I’m currently in the very early stages of conducting market research to find out who would be most interested in my business. I’ve learnt there’s no point in trying to appeal to everyone. In fact, this can be detrimental to your brand. Once I figure out my target demographic, I’ll be able to tailor my marketing campaign to appeal to that group specifically, which will make it more powerful (I hope!).

More food for thought - what’s my unique selling point that will set me apart from the fierce competition? (in some ways, narrowing this down depends on who my target audience is….which I’m yet to figure out).

I’ll admit, it isn’t easy juggling my full time job and “mum duties” with starting this business, but I’m excited to see how it develops. Watch this space to find out more about my project (which I won’t jinx by giving too much away during the pre-conception days).